Agreement Signed for Development of Integrated Control and Autonomous Systems for Combat Unmanned Surface Vessels
Design and Construction of Verification Platform for Core Autonomous Mission Technologies Underway
For the first time in history, South Korea's leading shipyards and defense companies have come together as a 'one team' to develop a single combat weapon system.
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (CEO Yoo Sangcheol) announced that it will jointly develop integrated control and autonomous mission system technologies for combat unmanned surface vessels, which are expected to become a core future asset for the Navy. This marks the first time that the development of core technologies for combat unmanned surface vessels is being pursued domestically.
On December 23, HJ Shipbuilding & Construction revealed that it has formed a consortium with LIG Nex1 and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to win the project for the development of core technologies for integrated control and autonomous mission systems for combat unmanned surface vessels. To this end, the company signed a project agreement with the Agency for Defense Development to serve as the designer and builder of the verification platform for unmanned surface vessels.
A combat unmanned surface vessel (USV) is an unmanned combat craft that performs search and engagement missions at sea via remote control or autonomous navigation, without any onboard personnel. By minimizing casualties among friendly forces and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI)-based automation technologies, these vessels can conduct surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat missions, emerging as a key asset in the future manned-unmanned integrated maritime system.
The core technology project, led by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the Agency for Defense Development, aims to secure the technologies necessary for the development of the Batch-II combat unmanned surface vessel system. These are essential technologies for developing unmanned surface vessels that will serve as a key pillar of the Navy's manned-unmanned integrated combat system (Navy Sea GHOST).
Additionally, the LIG-HD-HJ consortium, which leads the development of domestic naval vessels and command and control systems, plans to build a large unmanned surface vessel to verify the core technologies for integrated control and autonomous mission systems for combat unmanned surface vessels as part of this project.
HJ Shipbuilding & Construction has been preparing to participate in the project as a one team with LIG Nex1 and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, both leading national defense companies. After the proposal evaluation by the Agency for Defense Development, the LIG-HD-HJ consortium was selected as the preferred negotiation partner in August.
Going forward, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and HJ Shipbuilding & Construction will be responsible for the design and construction of the unmanned surface vessel platform, while LIG Nex1 will maximize performance and verify core technologies for combat unmanned surface vessels by developing the integrated control system, weapon control system, and autonomous mission system that organically integrate the platform and its key components.
An official from HJ Shipbuilding & Construction stated, "In advanced countries, there is a growing trend of maximizing operational capabilities through active development of unmanned surface vessels and integrated operation of manned and unmanned assets. We will actively participate in the development of high-performance, high-quality core technologies for combat unmanned surface vessels, which will become game changers on the future battlefield, and play a key role in elevating the status of K-defense."
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